Dreams of a fallen hero
by Lemurian 04
Summary: Nightmares... Can you believe them?
1. Sage of the Forest

A/N: I don't own anything in Zelda.

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1st chapter.

Sage of the Forest

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Saria sat still in her chair in Kokiri as the early morning started to make it visible. A gentle breeze floated through her window bringing with it all the forest in it. The morning bird song, the scent of growing spring-flowers, the silence of the Lost Woods and the heat of a new day's sun.

Saria just sat there, quiet and took it all in. It felt like an eternity since she last had felt likethis. The day was a normal spring day for the Kokiri but, this one felt different in some sort of way. She couldn't help for it, but...something was not right. That thought was fast chased out of her head as a Kokiri ran into her house.

"Saria! " he shouted, in utter panic. "Something terrible is happening! Come quick! "Saria rose up on her feet and followed the Kokiri out. What was happening? Was something wrong? It had to be! As she stepped out, she could feel it.

A scent...like it carried death, pain and utter despair. A frightening sound...like something that was made to take lives, destroy spirits and bring...death. It was the sound of death. The sickening sound of something cutting threads of life followed by the thump of the victim falling to the ground.

The smell... A sickening, nausea smell of departing lives and the bringing of death. "This way!" the Kokiri said and led her to the entrance to the Deku Tree's meadow. There! Saria gasped in shock as she understood what she saw.

Kokiri's were laying spread out over the grass, dead! Their heads were ripped off, chest slashed, legs and arms spread in horrible positions and in the middle of it all, a strange person stood.

His clothes...they were like the kokiri. In the special shade of green. Two things were a bit strange. It seemed like the person was carrying a long...sword! This was the person who had killed the Kokiri! But there was another thing. A strange thing was placed on his back. She couldn't see what it was. She enclosed a bit, but then the person turned around.

The face...the face of the hero. The golden strands of hair, the eyes which was determined to do his job. It was...

"Link! " Saria shouted. And him it was. But...there was something not right... The face...he was grinning like a mad-man and his eyes burned with a mad light.

Then she noticed the ting that was sticking out of the chest. And Saria understood the strange thing...it was a huge sword! It pierced Link's chest, made its way through his body and pointed out back. He should be dead!

But, he wasn't dead. In fact, he was moving. His sword was still raised as he had seen something he needed to get rid off. Then Saria screamed as she noticed...he was coming straight for her!

She turned around to run, but her feet wouldn't move. He approached her and raised the sword and...

In the Chamber of the Sages, Saria, the sage of the Forest Temple woke up. She was drenched in her own sweat. It had only been a nightmare...only a nightmare...she kept repeating this thought as she fell asleep again.

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RR, people. 


	2. Sage of Fire

A/N: I still don't own anything in Zelda. Nintendo does.

Thanks for all reviews.

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2nd chapter

Sage of Fire

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The penetrating heat spread through the volcanic crater of Death Mountain. This heat was unbearable for anyone, except those who had been given the Tunic of the Gorons or was a Goron himself. One of these Gorons was...Darunia.

The view over the enormous volcanic crater was majestic in the Goron's sight. The beautiful hot, boiling lava pot was not a simple crater. It was the only known entrance to the Fire Temple. But now, the temple was empty. The fire was doused, the monsters chased off and the magma streams closed. Darunia sighed of the thought of it. Then, something else caught his attention.

Something was floating in the magma. Darunia jumped down from the ledge and landed hard near the shore of the fire. It was strange. All things that fell into the lava were incinerated in few seconds unless you were a rock or a Goron. And this thing wasn't close to being either. Darunia tried to reach out for it, but his arm wasn't long enough. He couldn't risk falling in the lava. Then the thing turned around.

A person. A person wearing the Goron Tunic! That was impossible! The Goron Tunic hadn't been worn by humans in decades, except for the legendary hero. The person started to float near the shore. Darunia walked a bit backwards to let the thing wash to shore. His eyes widened. That person...

The Goron Tunic, the sword on his back, the hair that looked like gold...Darunia fell on his knees. The Sworn Brother of the Gorons. Link. He was...dead! Lying there, life-less. Tears started flowing from the Goron's eyes. Dead. He grabbed the hand of the body to take him ashore. He needed a proper burial. Then, the hand was accepted!

The person rose back on its feet and opened his eyes. Instead of the normal smiling look, the eyes that met Darunia's were filled with anger, hate and madness. It grabbed for its sword and drove it straight into Darunia...

In the chamber of the Sages, the Sage of Fire woke up. He was shivering, not of clod, but of fear. He moved his hand down to where the sword should have struck. Nothing. Just a dream...he hoped.

End of chapter

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R&R, please.Flames will also be read. Sorry for short chapters. 


	3. Sage of Water

Lemurian 04: I am sorry for the long wait, people. On request of my new mentor, I'm writing chapter 3. Thanks to Jersey Strat-O for the review.

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3rd. Chapter 

Sage of Water

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"By Nayru's everlasting love." Princess Ruto prayed. "For the sake of the temple of the Rising Sun, may the Goddesses and the Triforce shine on the Temple of Eternal Water. " The prayer was the same as the one that the Sages of the Water Temple had used for many years. 

'May the light also shine on my fiancé, Link.' she added in her mind. She sighed. 'And on me.'

Link had been gone too long now. She hadn't seen him since the fall of the Tower of Evil in the Hylian Highseat, the Zoras' name for the Hyrule Castle Town and after that; she had lost contact with him. She sighed again, but took a deep breath and rose to full height. She was the Sage of Water. She couldn't have mortal problems. She walked to her private balcony in the Sage's quarters.

The Water Temple was made for the Zoras. The whole place was under water, making it only possible for Zoras and other sea-living creatures to live there. Only two men of a different race had ever entered the Temple, the Gerudo king, Ganondorf and the Hero of Time, Link.

The temple consisted of a great tower in the main cave. Thanks to expert Zora carpenters, the tower was inhabited. Many side-tunnels and small rooms were spread in every direction from the cave walls from there. Ruto had often wondered over this. All the races of Hyrule seemed to have hid themselves somewhere. The Kokiri was in a clearing in the Lost Woods surrounded by trees on all sides. The Gorons were built into the Death Mountain in their huge cavern. The Hylians had not only placed their greatest city near mountains, but they also protected themselves with thick walls. The Gerudos lived in the shadow of a great cliff. And the Zoras had always been hid in waterfall caverns. Ruto could not stop wondering about it, why had all the ancient race-heads decided to hide? She had to give up that train of thought as a male Zora suddenly burst in the door.

Ruto swirled around to face the Zora. It was a normal Zora with no rank or job that had been given the job as messenger for the Guards. "Princess Ruto! "he shouted. "The Temple is being attacked! "

Ruto flinched. That couldn't be. "Is it Moblins? Stalfos? Morphas? "she rambled. How could anything survive long enough in the Temple. They would drown!

"No, Princess. "the messenger said. "It's...it's a Hylian! Dressed in Nayru's Gift."

Ruto gasped. The Nayru's Gift was a suit that gave its wearer the ability to survive on the bottom of the ocean. It gave a Hylian the same abilities as a Zora, water-breath and no water-hindrance. She sprinted out, followed by the messenger.

The water was red. The red color had spread from everywhere and was scaring everyone away. Blood. Boomerangs flew from every hand able to use it and towards a strange person all coated in blue. They all met its mark, cutting and wounding the person. Then, a myriad of arrows hit the marks of Zora chests. Then, the person saw Ruto and started closing in. Ruto grabbed a boomerang for defense but the shock made her loosing it.

Though the water had plastered it to the face, golden strands of hair was still visible. The pointy ears and the strict nose. And a sword through his chest.

"Link? "she uttered. The Hero of Time? How could it be? He was killing Zoras? He should be dead! With the sword, he wouldn't be able to survive! No, no, it couldn't be true! Then, she saw a glimpse of steel be drawn. A loud scream escaped her lips as the steel cut through her right side.

In the Sacred Realm, the Sage of water shot out of her sleeping position. She gasped for air and was shaking as a fish on land. Darunia and Saria had been correct. These dreams had to mean something...anything. A small drop of blood fell from her right side. She stared down. A small line of blood was still visible. She was wounded? But it had all been a dream, hadn't it?

End of Chapter

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R&R, please. 


	4. Sage of Darkness

Lemurian04: Hey, mates. Sorry 'bout the long wait, but my inspiration tend to run off after each chapter, for only come back for payment. Well, he just claimed the Christmas bonus, and stayed here so long that I was able to write this. Well, no more chitchat, let's get on with the story, eh?

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Chapter 4 Sage of Darkness

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'Thump, thump' the light footsteps sounded, echoing scary down the corridor. A long line of small torches illuminated the corridor, showing the way down for the Sheikah.

The Sheikah moved down the corridor, the long-bladed knife bumping against her leg as she felt her way through the scarcely lit corridor. The blue skin-tight suit with certain spots of grey seemed chilly in this dark cave.

The never-lifting darkness in the cave was almost not pierced by the torches. "I've got to hang up more light soon," Impa thought aloud for herself, but discarded the thought. What was the meaning of being the Sage of Darkness, if she couldn't go through the darkness? She walked on.

The corridor ended in a big hall, which was the room where most of the adventurers had to stop. It was a rectangular room, divided by a long gap. On the other side of the gap was a small tongue that seemed inviting, the only problem was that it was impossible to jump to, unless you could fly. The rest of the room was just walls; undecorated and moist. A certain evil aura seemed to be watching Impa while she rustled to find a small, mirror-like item.

The small item was a deep, dark purple and adorned with three pink crystals in the edge of a see-through glass. The glass itself seemed tinted in a dark purple with a green six-sided emerald mark in the middle. The Lens of Truth, the sacred, but dark-powered item, to show the invisible.

Impa took the Lens up to her eye. Suddenly, one of the walls disappeared out of view. In its place was a winding corridor, which seemed to end into another wall. These invisible gates were the reason most treasure-hunters gave up the whole cave right here. Impa nodded for herself and started examining the rest of the first room with the Lens.

Ghosts of departed spirits seemed to stop here to linger a while before going on to the after-life. It was one of Impas duties, beside the main responsibility to guard the Temple of Darkness.

The lens flew over the other walls, finding nothing. She took the whole room in view. Suddenly, a small glimpse of white lingered down in the corner. She turned to that spot, but the white object was gone. She shook her head. The scarce light had to be playing tricks on her again. It had happened once before, when a piece of moss had stuck to the lens outside and kept Impa searching for the monster a whole hour.

She removed the lens from her eye and checked the lens for any distracting items, finding nothing. She shook her head and took the lens back up to her eye, continuing the search.

Again, a small white object appeared in the downright corner. Again, when she turned that way, the object was gone. But now, it had reappeared, now in the top-left corner of Impas sight. She looked that way, but again the object had disappeared. She shook her head again and turned to leave.

The corridor was darker than before. Impa flinched. It seemed that several torches had gone out. Actually, while Impa watched, several torches in the end disappeared. Another one was blown out. A breath of air blew in her air, carrying a strange sound with it. It seemed like a laughter, without any mirth at all. Another breath of air breathed Impa in the neck. She wheeled around.

There, in the air floated a silver-shimmering ghost, crowned with a ring of floating fireballs. The torch behind it was blown out and joined the ring around the ghost, making it possible for Impa to recognize the person. She gasped.

The silhouette drew a tunic-clad person, with a pointy hat and leather boots. The face was lit up and Impa could see ghoul-like face with a twisted smile and a pair of brown, but bloodshot eyes. A sword pierced the chest, circled by an odd number of blood-spots. A pair of hands hung sloppily at the side of the floating body and on the right hand; a yellow triangle. The legendary mark of the Triforce. "Link?" she uttered.

The ghost smiled again and the Triforce-marked hand shot towards Impa heart. An ice-cold feeling spread through the chest and the head and she passed out.

Back in the Chamber of the Sages, in the Sacred Realm, Impa, the Sage of Darkness woke up, cold-sweating with a thumping heart. Ruto had told the truth, as Saria. Something was wrong in the outside world. Something very wrong.

End of Chapter.

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Lemurian04: Well, that's another chapter done. We are slowly getting to the plot, no? Thanks for review, both these I've got and those I hope I'll get. Flames will be used to reheat the New Years Eve-dinner.

And yes, the date of this update was planned, so that I could wish you all a happy new year. Joy!


	5. Sage of Spirits

Lemurian 04: Hello everybody. I know it has been almost a half year since the last chapter, but still I want to thank all reviewers and readers. You have no idea how nice it is to get reviews on this history. Also thanks to Zerodius and Seijiro on the help with some names. Now then, let's rock!

Chapter 5

Sage of Spirits

Nabooru was unsure. All seemed...faded around her. This was strange. As a Gerudo, she was well trained in the arts of Dream Walking. It was a special, but strange skill, being able to control your dreams and twist them into a form of meditation, making one able to connect your mind to the Spirit World, where the spirits of the ancestors were resting. Nabooru had always been good at this and when she had awakened as the Sage of Spirit, her skill had improved further, giving her the ability to see ages far past and even see some of the future. But this dream was...unusual.

Clouds drifted around her. That was new. In the Dream World, all was always crystal clear. Until now. Suddenly, it changed and all became clear. Nabooru breathed out the breath that she hadn't felt that she was holding. Probably an old restless spirit. She would have to ask her ancestors about that later. Right now, she wanted to get control.

Control was easily done. One accepted the dream-phase and let it almost envelop one. Then as it had it grip on you, it sort of relaxed, and you focused. Quite easy. This time, it was different. The dream came in a rush, like a Hylian rider out on a hunt, or like a great sandstorm. It pounded her on all sides, making her attempts of control futile. She fought against, but it wouldn't let go. If it got full control, her spirit would leave her body and drift to join the ghosts. Her great-great-great-great grandmother had told her that. Finally, Nabooru couldn't last any longer. As a last resort, she would have to wake up. The dream pressed on and threatened with crushing her. She concentrated on the feeling of being awake and...All went black.

The feeling of being back in her body and awake was great. The strain of the dream was gone and though she was tired, she was at least unhurt. She relaxed and rose up from her simple carpet on the floor. She adjusted her decorated hair band that kept her red hair in a long ponytail, pulled on her pink gloves over her heavily tanned skin and slipped into her red soft shoes. Her small house out here near the Desert Colossus was simple, but nice. Nabooru got visitors from foolish Hylians, curious Gorons and other desert-travellers. And of course her sisters in the Gerudo Valley. They came with presents of food (water was to be found in the oasis near the Colossus, which also was the reasons the other desert-travellers came in the first place), clothes, news and company. So she was well equipped with all sorts of items. She could live here a whole life. That was also her duty. She stepped out and looked down on the Colossus.

It was a magnificent sight. Rising like a monolith in this desert wasteland, it was easy to spot on clear weather, but that was a rarity. Sandstorms often raided the nearby landscape and made the travel dangerous. Before the Fall of Ganondorf, only two persons had managed to cross the desert except the Gerudo. Ganondorf, she didn't count him as a Gerudo anymore, that filthy honourless thief, and The Hero of Time. She sighed at the thought of those two. They were the exact opposites. There Ganondorf was greedy, Link was generous. Ganondorf had a dangerous intellect, Link was a bit naive. Ganondorf was only cruel and Link was almost the personification of good. Ganondorf was ruthless, Link was kind. That last was shown the day he came to Gerudo Valley. Never had any enemy been able to be able to defeat the whole Gerudo-clan without even hurting them! He had knocked them out and no one had suffered any worse than a few bumps! It was amazing. She sighed and then smirked for herself. And of course; where Ganondorf was definitely ugly, Link was sort of...handsome. She smiled and looked into the distance. "Wonder where he is now?" she mused and smiled. Then she started to climb down the few steps that went from the ledge in the mountain her hut was placed and down onto the land around the Colossus.

She quietly mumbled the Mantra of Safe Entrance and walked through the entrance of the Colossus. After some walking, she appeared in the main hall. It was a grandiose hall, but was heavily affected by time. Pillars were falling apart; some walls had big holes in them and because of them: sand was everywhere. Nabooru knelt down and took some sand in her palm, before slowly letting it run out of it. It was sad, seeing such splendour just falling apart. But then, her attention was brought elsewhere as a heavy crashing sound was heard.

She ran over the sand on the floor and into the next room. This was the Soul Room, where the souls of desert travellers that were swallowed of The Cursed came. While Ganondorf was in action, this room was always full, but normally now, it used to be empty. But not now. In the middle of the stone room, smashing pillars to dust and statues into gravel stood a giant armoured figure. It was heavily clad in massive steel that had been painted in a light gold colour and was wielding a massive two-bladed axe. An Iron Knuckle.

It turned towards her and she could feel the evil power radiating from it. It must've survived after Ganondorf's fall and escaped. Then it must've worked its way here. "Here it ends, BlackAxe!" Nabooru shouted and drew the Gerudo spear that she always carried for safety. She sprinted towards the Knuckle, the spear high. The armoured figure didn't move. Not an inch. In a minute, it was over. The armour lay in pieces around them. The axe had been dropped on the ground. Nabooru sobbed, where she knelt. The reason lay before her.

On the ground, soaked in blood, iron pieces pointing out of him and a massive cut after a spear over the chest, lay...him. The golden hair, the kind eyes, that figure she had often dreamed about in lonely nights. Nabooru wailed. "Link!" He had been inside that Knuckle, like Nabooru once had been. Fighting for control, but unable to as the curse of the Knuckle armour kept him in paralyze. Fighting, crushing, killing and tortured by the visions of it all happening because of him. "Why?" she sobbed. "Why!" Then it moved.

Nabooru stared as the hurt and slashed body of Link stood up. It swayed and tried to regain its balance. As it, no, he, stood up, she could see the Mirror Shield blinking on his back, the bow behind it and the sheath of the Master Sword and, Nabooru's eyes widened, it was empty! The Hero of Time without the Sword of Evil's Bane! It was...unthinkable! "Link?" she tried to say and stood up as well. The figure was searching for something. Maybe he had just dropped it inside the armour. Then, he took up the giant axe after the Iron Knuckle. She could see the Silver Glove on his left hand and the Golden Glove, the Silver's twin, on the other hand. They blinked as they provided superhuman strength to their bearer. Link tried some swings with the axe. It shattered a piece of chest armour. Then Link nodded. And turned to Nabooru.

Nabooru stared at him. His blue eyes were black where the would have been. The golden hair was not just coloured red by his blood, but with the blood of a thousands victims. Link hadn't been cursed. He had done it, in his free will. Nabooru couldn't move. The shock and terror froze her feet in place. Then Link raised the axe. The Golden and Silver Gloves shone more brightly than ever. Nabooru fell on her knees. The axe came down; ready to cleave, cut and kill...all went black.

Nabooru woke up, again, but this time in the Chamber of the Sages. Was that a dream? The dream must've swallowed her that first time and made her imagine that she had awoken. But the evil radiating from Link, it had been real. The sand had felt so real. The scent of the desert wind had been so real. Yes, that was no ordinary nightmare. Something was wrong somewhere. Something had happened to him. She knew it.

Lemurian04: R&R.


	6. Sage of Light

Lemurian04: HAPPY NEW YEAR! The normal half-year update, from yours truly!

Alex: Let me out of this cage!

Lemurian04: So, enjoy the update!

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Chapter 6 

Sage of Light

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Rauru sighed. It was midwinter and it was time for the Festival of Time. The festival celebrated the passing of time from future, through present and into past and was considered a great time for all the people in Hyrule Castle Town. They lit a great bonfire at the entrance gates, sung songs about how much they looked forward to the return of the sun and gave friends and family presents. Especially the last thing was very symbolic. What it was symbolic about had never worried anyone. Right now presents were symbolic for presents. Plus, the children were happy. Two of the mentioned age-group ran through Rauru as he thought about them. 

Rauru had been the sole guardian of the Temple of Time for 70 years until his insertion as a Sage and then 150 years more afterwards. The Temple was famous for its protectors. Of course, no one had ever seen them, but that just helped the legend along. Plus, no one suspected that it was true. But Rauru has met some of them now recently. Like the Holy Saint Wilhelm, who was floating near the altar, the one who single-handedly killed the 150 Redeads that once laid a siege on the town. The Saint had admitted that it had helped that both hands has been wielding swords. Him and many others had been floating around in the temple and protected it long after their death. And Rauru had joined them.

Rauru looked at the interior of the temple. It was filled with people, woman and children especially. The Temple was always the scene of the Grand Blessing, where the residing Priest of Time blessed the populace of the world to ensure long and happy lives. There were always more people there now that the Hero of Time had saved them from Ganondorf. It had given the people faith in their goddesses. So now the mothers always came here to get their children blessed while the fathers readied the meal at home. It was always very nice to see all the happy children. But the priest was not too good.

The new Priest of Time, Dios Ensanktum, was a mid-aged man with natural silver hair and a very kind face. The people in the town loved him, but he was a lousy speaker. He mixed up, quoted the holy legend wrong twice and generally was making a good fool of himself. But it didn't matter for the people. The mothers knew about it of course, but the children really admired the old priest. So it was acceptable. Rauru looked at the nearby Guardian ghost, Renaudu Nooreng, who nodded in approval. Rauru smiled. Another good Festival. Now it was time for some songs about the goddesses and then the whole building would walk out and join their husbands and fathers. Rauru floated outside. Hearing the same songs for 220 years had made Rauru really tired of them.

Outside, it was empty. Not a soul in sight. There were lots of lights down in the village but the temple grounds were empty. Or maybe not? There was a shape there in the fray. Rauru floated nearer. It was an old man, walking slowly and bent over, like he had something heavy on his back. Rauru floated over to him and walked beside him. Company was always nice, even when they didn't feel him near. A rustling in the nearby bush said that some animal was following them, but Rauru didn't pay attention. There were some cats and dogs in the area, he knew that. He had always left some food out for them at Festival nights. Maybe Dios did the same and these little guys were going to celebrate?

But suddenly, he froze in mid-float. The creature in the bush had risen up and was now a tall, skinny man, clothed in a hooded robe. He had a hungry look in his face and in his hand blinked a knife. Rauru stared and turned to the old man. He hadn't noticed. Rauru tried to shake him, but his hands went right through him. He tried to shout, but nobody could hear him. Suddenly, it was too late. The knife went through the back of the man and he sagged to the ground. The robber turned him over on the back and started going through his pockets. Rauru stared at the old man's face. It was his own!

Those old serious lines, the grey thoughtful eyes now frozen in shock and of course the tell-tale thick moustache, it all stared back at him as a mirror image of himself. Because it was him. He had been killed! Rauru shook his head. No, that wasn't possible. Those things couldn't happen! His body was in the Chamber, not here! But still, the thief grabbed his dead body and started carrying it behind the Temple. Rauru floated frozen for some seconds but then followed, his thoughts still swarming around.

The thief carried his body through the few graves there. Normal people were buried at the cemetery in Kakariko, and so were the nobles. But the Priests were always buried behind the temple so that their spirits could watch over it. Except Rauru, because he had disappeared suddenly when he became a Sage. The thief was heading towards someplace between two graves. Rauru floated nearer and what would go as his stomach revolted at the sight. It was an empty grave. And a tombstone. On it was engraved: "Rauru, Priest of Time".

Rauru stared at it all the time while the thief dumped his body into the grave and started filling it. When the thief was finished, he was breathing heavily. Rauru turned to him. What was going on? He had been killed and buried, while both things were completely impossible. Then the thief removed his hood and the moonlight shone down on his face. And Rauru gasped.

Golden locks. Firm facial features. Those pointy ears. And those sincere blue eyes. "Link?!" Rauru called out to the person. Rauru had been the first to see the Hero of Time after the seven years that Link had slept. Rauru had been proud at that time. He had really looked like a Hero, that day. But now, he had changed. The hair was streaked with red blood, he had heavy bags under his eyes and there was a mad look in those eyes that Rauru had never seen in them before. They were the eyes of a killer. Now, Link took a thing in front of his eyes. It was the Lens of Truth and through it, Link's eyes stared into his own. Link drew the sword, the Master Sword, which actually should be safe in the temple behind him, and then focused on Rauru. Then he smiled. A maniac's smile, a smile which Rauru had seen only once before, when Ganondorf had snuck into the Realm. That was when Rauru noticed, when Link had finally thrown away the cape, that he saw the wound.

It was massive. It defied the laws on the living, in the way that no one could live with such a wound. It went from right beneath the his left eye, down the chin and then continued on. Through the fabric and the flesh under it in a long line down the left side it went and finally stopped at the end of the torso. It made Rauru's eyes water just by looking at it, and at several places it had opened and blood was leaking out. Link roared and raised the sword. And brought it down, right at Rauru.

Rauru was still shouting as he woke up in the Chamber of the Sages. The other Sages were already sitting around him. "What…is happening?" he managed to say. Nabooru shook her head. Saria stared into the floor. Darunia was weeping into a big towel. Rauru suddenly twitched as something stinged in his back. He felt his way to the spot and brought the hand into the light again. Blood. Something was really not right.

End of Chapter

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Lemurian04: R&R. Until next time, everyone. 


	7. Princess of Hyrule

Lemurian04: Morning, y'all.

Alex: LET ME OUT OF HERE! is struggling with around 2 km of duct tape

Lemurian04: Everyone, this is my muse. You might have noticed him half a year ago. The rascal thought he could get away with being abroad half a year, but no sir. With his help, I've made a new chapter. It's a day late, but still; Enjoy.

A/N: I don't own ANYTHING in Zelda! If I did, I would be rich. I ain't. Wah.

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Chapter 7

Princess of Hyrule

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Princess Zelda yawned as she awakened. The sun was already streaming through the windows showing that the day was already in full activity outside. Though it was said that princesses couldn't sleep with even something as small as a pea under her matress, it was true that they liked to sleep in when it was possible. But the people would never like a lazy queen. She arose from the silk sheets and stood on the carpeted floor. The room was what most people imagined a princess' bedroom would look like. White stonewalls, carpets with fine Zora-patterns, enormous wardrobes filled with dresses fit for a...well, princess and a massive four-poster double-bed. Though, she currently filled it alone. It was not entirely done, a princess at her age without neither husband nor lover, but noone talked about it. There was only one man in Princess Zelda's life, and he was far from here. If only she could meet him again...the always so discomforting train of thought was swiftly derailed when her maid knocked softly on the door and she came in.

Chesa was a nice young girl, only just 19, and was 3rd generation maid. She was dressed in the white yellowbonded livery that the servants in the Castle used, a dress that suited her golden hair nicely. She curtsied deeply for Zelda and then started the normal morning-ritual with dressing, combing and general readying for another day of courtal affairs. Zelda was not entirely happy about the whole deal, though. She had managed herself perfectly fine the years she had been living out in the wild, leading the Hylian Resistance against Ganondorf. But it was again not done for a princess to do those things on her own. The past princesses had given a very clear image of a real princess in the minds of the public and she could not disappoint them. So she had to put up with the foolish dance with Chesa dressing and readying her hair.

"Chesa is glad to see Her Majesty in such a good mood, m'lady." Chesa murmured while fastening her silk gloves. Zelda smiled down at her. It was a fine day with no other duties today than just taking the weekly inspection on the Royal Guard. She was planning to maybe go riding, or maybe even some falconing. "Why should I not be, Chesa?" Chesa looked up at her with shock on her face, but then her face rearranged into a more controlled smile. "Well, all things considered, m'lady." Now, Zelda was sure something was wrong. She stared down at her, the icy stare that she had learned after a long life of being the youngest ruler of Hyrule. "Like what, Chesa?" Her voice was an icicle, every word a swordstab. Chesa was white in her face. "The...the h-hanging, Your Majesty!" Zelda's eyes widened in shock. What hanging? There was no death penalty anymore except for Treason by Attempt of Murder. She rose abruptly from the stool she had been sitting on, causing Chesa to fall backwards in shock. She strode out the door, ignoring Chesa's pained shouts of "Your Higness!".

While walking, Zelda changed. Her clothes stopped being the fine silk dress and changed into a flexible blue-and-black garb with a white chest that followed each of her curve shamelessly. Except, she had no curves anymore. Her whole physique changed from that of a tall, but slim young woman into that of a agile man, but still muscular, maybe two years older. Her hair went from pale yellow to a more darker sort, and its form went from flowing down her back into just a long fringe that covered her face, but except from that it was short. Her magical disguise was finished with the addition of a headgarb that could hide all of her head except the eyes and the picture of a crying red eye on her chest. Zelda was now hidden from all eyes in the castle. Only Sheik was there. She darted down the corridor, hiding in the shadows whenever somebody appeared.

The magic was not a difficult one, especially for someone as experienced as Zelda. It simply used a trickle of the magic the Royal Family had been given by the gods to...alter things to get a bit more suitable, like the difference between a long dress and a much easier skirt. And the disguise of Sheik was perfect. It made no connection between Princess Zelda and Sheik, a nimble fighter that had been like a general in the Resistance, simply by just openly showing the complete differences, like hair, voice, eyecolour and physique. And gender, of course. Sheik was openly accepted as a man by other people and Zelda still used the disguises to check the morale among her Guard and the villagers in the pubs. Sheik was considered a good man to have around, and most liked him. But right now, a hidden Sheik was better than worrying the Castle with the news of Sheik walking in the corridors. Instead, she wandered from shadow to shadow, heading for the Traitor's Court.

Zelda did not like hanging people. But she could not accept traitors in her lands either, so they had to be executed. And she had forced herself to see every hanging. A good queen needed to be like a steel sword. Sharp and without mercy for those who betrayed her trust, but still there with the purpose to defend its wielder. And Hyrule was her wielder. But this hanging was different. Every hanging had to be declared by the Royal Court, the highest there was and then again had to be authorized by the ruling regent, in this case, her. But she had not authorized any hanging for half a year now, not since the hidden pocket of Ganondorf supporters had been taken under an assassination-attempt at her. And why had Chesa talked about it liked that? She needed to find that out now.

The nimble figure of Sheik snuck through the endless corridors, true as an arrow towards the Traitor's Court. Finally, the last arched hallway passed underneath her as she hung in roof above the unsuspecting guards. Finally, she could drop into a welcoming shadow, her magic making them envelop her like thick forest, inside the great amphitheatre that was the Traitor's Court.

The Court was built to intimidate. All who came to watch were to be shown what happened to one who tried to cause problems in the kingdom of Hyrule. It had been made, by personal design, by Queen Zeradel the Third, or the Blood Queen, who had used it frequently on citizens who had only had rumours on them for being traitors and there had been hangings for less offences than that. Stories said she had even hanged her lover there once, for looking at another lady. Great marblesteps went from the castle itself and down towards the opening where both the prisoner and audience came in. On the top steps, the Royal Family and their personal guards sat, with the throne for the current regent on the middle of the half-circle. Below there, the solicitours and judges of the Royal Court sat. Below came the Supreme Court and their members and representatives, then the National Court, followed by the Regional Court and lastly the City Court. There, the marble steps stopped and there was a sudden drop down to the benches where the commoners sat. Then it scaled down some more until there was an open area. Where the gallows stood.

Zelda crept closer, following the shadows along the walls until she could jump down to the commoners' benches. People had just started coming, and she easily hid in the masses of people. Though the citizens of Hyrule disliked hangings, they thought of it as an important education to their children. Hardfaced men and just as emotionless women came, with children around ten and older. Noone seemed to notice the man sneaking through the crowd, agile as a snake. This too was magic, of a sort. As long as she kept a low profile and attracted no special notion, people did not see her. Well, of course, they saw her, but then thought nothing of it. If they were asked later, they wouldn't even remember seing her.

Zelda finally exited the crowd into a shadow made by an outer wall and could finally get a clear view of what was happening. The people had stopped coming in and a pair of drums had started. Deep pounds of heavy clubs on bassdrums made the sound ring out as clear as a bell, but with a drasticly different message. First came the judge appointed to proclaim the hanging, then the heavy shape of the headsman, his black mask hiding every part of his face, then the prisoner. He was escorted by two massive lumps of persons, whose difference to Gorons were species more than size, on either side and another covering the rear. The prisoner was dressed in his own clothes, as the tradition demanded, but they were grey of dust and dirt to such an extent that their former was completely unknown. On his head he had a coarse sack, so that he could not even see where he was walking. On his arms where chains, binding him to the two guards on either side and his feet where clamped in hard iron chains making even walking a hard job. The man seemed to be walking in his sleep, swaying and hanging with his head and torso so deep that he looked already dead and his feet barely moved.

Finally, the swaying shape came up close to the gallows. The guards escorted the prisoner up the contraption, removing his chains so that he could manage the wooden steps. Finally, they reached the top, where three members of the castle guards were positioned for security. The headsman started fitting the rope for prisoners height and the judge took his place in front of the gallows. The prisoner was led to his place above the hatch and the judge started the Hanged Man's Speech, that started with a brief introduction of how much everybody should keep to the path of piece and not follow the prisoner's example. Then, the sack was taken off and the judge started listing the man's crimes. Zelda didn't listen. She kept staring at the face of the man about to be hanged.

His features were rougher than she remembered, but he still had that sharp nose, those sharp blue eyes and of course the sharps ears of a true Hylian. His hair were streams of pale yellow that framed that face she remembered so well. The face she has dreamed about all those nights alone in her bed, the very one face she longed every day to caress once more and the face that every man and woman in Hyrule knew, and whose legends were taught to the children in schools and at home. The man who was worshipped almost as much as the Godesses. The Player of the Ocarina of Time. The Bearer of the Master Sword. Vanquisher of the evil tyrant Ganondorf.

The Hero of Time. Link.

The headsman started readying the noose as the judge went through the list of offences. Zelda shook herself out of her frozen state and started charging for the gallows. Castle Guards near the gates stepped from their positions and moved to stop her before she could reach the gallows, but they all suddenly collapsed. Poisoned needles were Sheik's most exact weapon. Their poison could knock out any man within seconds after puncturing the skin. Zelda shrugged her right shoulder and another dose of needles fell slowly into her palm. One of the needles hit the judge in the thigh, removing him from any harm.

On the top of the gallows, the headsman had fastened the noose and was moving over to the lever for the trapdoor. Time was running out. Zelda nimbly jumped up on the floor of the gallows, between the Guards and Link. A flurry of needles from Zelda's left hand made the Castle Guards fall to the dirty wood and another round from her right hit the executioner squarly in the chest. The man fell. On the lever.

Already before Zelda had turned around, the trapdoor opened. Before she could ready another round of needles, Link dropped. And just before she could fire the needles, she was grabbed from behind. One of the jailors had not been hit by the first round of needles and now Zelda was being held by heavy arms, being squeezed like a rabiat cat. When finally Zelda could stab her assilant in the arm with one of her needles, Link had been hanging there for several seconds. She ran over to the rope, praying to all the godesses that she was not too late. She cut the rope with her small beltknife and Link fell to the ground below. Zelda jumped after.

When she landed, everything was in chaos. The spectators were shouting and yelling, and Castle Guards were coming from everywhere. It didn't matter. If she could just get Link out of those gates, she could hide the both of them quickly and find out what was happening. She turned to face Link. He was probably knocked out after all that time without air, she had to...

Link was back on his feet, flexing his muscles. He looked this way and that, taking the whole scene in. His face was decorated with a twisted smile and his usually clear blue eyes burned red with anger and hate. Zelda did not see that. She was looking at his neck. It twisted around and pulled out of joint. Noone should be able to breathe with their neck like that! Link turned to her and saw what she was staring at. He took his head in his arms and twisted it around and in place again. Zelda stared, and she could feel her stomach wring itself. That was impossible!

Link then went over to one of the fallen guards and took the sword of his body. Because of the inspection later today, it had been polished and sharpened to perfection. Link swung it here and there for a moment and then nodded in satisfaction. Then he turned towards Zelda. That evil smirk broadened and Zelda felt her heart freeze. Link charged towards her and raised the sword as to behead her. The blade came down, ready to bite flesh...

And Princess Zelda awakened, sitting bolt upright in the same bed as that horrible nightmare had begun. She felt at her back of her neck. It was whole. But a small trickle of blood was coming out of a light scratch. This was no normal dream.

* * *

R&R 


End file.
